Medicine Park, Oklahoma Short-Term Rental Market
Medicine Park, OK STRs averaged $161/night at 45.5% occupancy in April 2026, drawing from 1.5 million annual refuge visitors.
Quick Answer: Medicine Park, Oklahoma is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 54%. average monthly revenue is $2,775. average daily rate is $187. the top operator is Evolve with 225 listings. market score is 89/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the Oklahoma Area regional market, which includes Medicine Park. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Medicine Park.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Medicine Park is a historic resort town of approximately 411 residents in the Wichita Mountains of Comanche County, Oklahoma, about 90 miles southwest of Oklahoma City and a few miles from Lawton. Founded in 1908 as Oklahoma’s first resort, the town draws a visitor base that vastly exceeds its resident population: over 1.5 million people visit the Wichita Mountains and Medicine Park area annually, primarily through the adjacent Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.
In April 2026, the STR market posted an average daily rate of $161 and an occupancy rate of 45.5%, with RevPAR of $73. Year-over-year through April 2026, occupancy declined 0.4 percentage points, ADR fell 1.0%, and revenue declined 2.6%, continuing a gradual normalization from the 2021 post-pandemic peak.
The listing mix is almost entirely entire-place rentals, which account for approximately 96% of all listings. Private-room listings are minimal, and shared-room listings are negligible. This composition reflects the town’s traditional cabin and cottage rental character.
One-bedroom units are the most represented bedroom category, followed by three-bedroom and two-bedroom properties. Four- and five-bedroom larger cabins are present in smaller numbers. Airbnb is the primary distribution channel, with a meaningful share of properties also cross-listed on VRBO.
The Apivex composite score of 88.9 is among the highest in this dataset. The standout dimension is investability at 99.0, near the maximum score, reflecting minimal regulatory barriers, abundant natural tourism demand, and favorable property-cost-to-revenue ratios for rural Oklahoma. Rental demand scores 67.8, seasonality 78.7, revenue growth 69.8, and regulation 67.7.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35% | $120 | $1,311 |
| Feb | 42% | $120 | $1,276 |
| Mar | 50% | $148 | $1,907 |
| Apr | 44% | $144 | $1,744 |
| May | 50% | $161 | $2,068 |
| Jun | 55% | $179 | $2,630 |
| Jul | 56% | $183 | $2,841 |
| Aug | 46% | $162 | $2,150 |
| Sep | 43% | $155 | $1,821 |
| Oct | 46% | $154 | $2,006 |
| Nov | 45% | $153 | $1,868 |
| Dec | 40% | $143 | $1,701 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Medicine Park
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 225 | 8,391 | ★ 4.78 |
| 2 | LakeStay Vacation | 90 | 2,159 | ★ 4.87 |
| 3 | Stevens realty | 50 | 1,635 | ★ 4.10 |
| 4 | Ryan Busse | 40 | 1,113 | ★ 4.77 |
| 5 | Willow Springs Marina and Resort | 39 | 1,814 | ★ 4.81 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Medicine Park?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,831 |
| 2 bed | 1,528 |
| 3 bed | 1,704 |
| 4 bed | 605 |
| 5 bed | 265 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $190 |
| Luxury | $364 |
| Professionally Managed | $264 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $1,845 |
| Entire Place | $2,824 |
| House | $3,033 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 52.7% |
| vrbo | 6.5% |
| both | 40.8% |
Investment Analysis
The market’s investability score of 99.0 is the highest in this batch and among the highest in the Apivex dataset. This reflects the combination of permissive regulation, consistent mass visitor demand from the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge (over 1 million visits annually since 1962), and low relative property costs in rural Comanche County.
ADR ranges from $161 at the market average to $164 for entire-home listings, $180 for professionally managed properties, and $318 for luxury-tier listings. The luxury-tier ADR of $318 is 97% above the market average, approximately double, indicating significant pricing upside for well-positioned premium cabins. The professionally managed ADR of $180 is a modest 12% premium ($19/night) above the market average, suggesting that management quality without property quality upgrades produces a limited ADR uplift in this market.
Average monthly revenue was $2,011 in April 2026. Annualized at that rate, a typical property generates approximately $24,132 per year. Peak months (July at $2,842 and June at $2,612) substantially exceed the April baseline.
No Zillow housing price data is available for this submarket. Given the town’s small size, investors should consult Comanche County Assessor records and local brokers for current property pricing.
By property type, house listings average $2,152/month, entire-place listings average $2,050/month, and apartment-category listings average $1,567/month. Annual revenue trends show a post-2021 normalization: $2,358/month in 2021, declining to $2,020 in 2023, with recovery to $2,081 in 2024 and $2,159 in 2025.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
The average booking lead time for Medicine Park STRs is 42.9 days, approximately 6 weeks before arrival. This comparatively long lead time suggests guests plan their Wichita Mountains trips in advance, which is consistent with travelers coordinating wildlife refuge visits alongside cabin stays.
Average length of stay is 3.8 nights, consistent with a long-weekend cabin destination. The primary visitor base from Oklahoma City, Lawton, and the Dallas-Fort Worth area drives trips of 3 to 4 nights, practical for the driving distances involved.
The combination of a 42.9-day lead time and 3.8-night stays provides operators with solid forward booking visibility. Most calendar slots fill 4 to 6 weeks out. Gaps inside 2 weeks of arrival may benefit from reduced minimum stays or promotional pricing. A 2-night minimum is appropriate for this market type and avoids the high turnover cost of single-night bookings in a cabin-style property.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rentals are permitted in Medicine Park and the town actively promotes tourism lodging. Operators must obtain a Short-Term Rental permit from the Town of Medicine Park, reviewed by the Planning and Preservation Commission. Applications must be submitted to Town Hall at least one week before the scheduled commission meeting or they will not be placed on the agenda.
A town business license is required, and operations must pass inspection by the Fire Department and Building & Zoning. No owner-occupancy requirement, primary-residence requirement, or annual night cap was found in the published framework.
The Town imposes a local municipal lodging tax on transient stays. In August 2022, residents voted on a 2% lodging tax increase to fund a state-mandated sewer-lagoon upgrade and new emergency radio equipment. The exact current local lodging tax rate is not published online and must be confirmed directly with Town Hall at (580) 529-2825.
Oklahoma state levies a 4.5% sales and excise tax on lodging gross receipts. Airbnb and VRBO typically collect and remit the Oklahoma state tax automatically, but operators should confirm platform tax handling and clarify local tax remittance obligations with the Town.
No permit application fee is published online. Enforcement is characterized as moderate, consistent with a small town where administration is local and the economy is tourism-dependent. The town’s own website lists lodging operators and promotes cabin rentals, indicating a cooperative regulatory posture.
Investors should contact Town Hall directly to confirm current fees, tax rates, and filing schedules before listing any property.
Market Comparison
The US median annual STR occupancy is approximately 55%. Medicine Park’s April 2026 occupancy of 45.5% is below the national median, consistent with a small rural Oklahoma market with a pronounced summer concentration. The 2025 annual average of 46.7% is also below the national benchmark.
ADR of $161 is below the national median of approximately $220. Medicine Park competes on proximity to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge and the distinctive cobblestone character of the town rather than amenity-driven premium pricing.
Top property management operators active in the Medicine Park and Wichita Mountains area include Evolve (225 listings, 8,391 reviews, 4.78 average rating), LakeStay Vacation (90 listings, 2,159 reviews, 4.87 rating, the highest-rated in the top five), and Stevens realty (50 listings, 1,635 reviews, 4.10 rating). Ryan Busse (40 listings, 4.77 rating) and Willow Springs Marina and Resort (39 listings, 4.81 rating) round out the top five.
The investability score of 99.0 is the highest in this batch and among the highest in the Apivex dataset. Despite below-national-median occupancy and ADR, the combination of minimal regulatory barriers, 1.5 million annual area visitors, and low rural Oklahoma property costs creates conditions that the Apivex model rates as exceptional for new investment.
Frequently Asked Questions About Medicine Park, Oklahoma
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